Windmill



No Model.

2 Sheets-Sheet? W. S. OBRYAN.

WINDMILL.

Patented n1: Norms PETERS co, Pncmuwcu \vnsumurcvg n. c.

lINrTnn STATES PATENT FFIGEt WINDMILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 600,796, dated March 15, 1898. Application filed December 10, 1896. Serial No. 615,249. (No model.)

To all whom it'many concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SPENCER OBRYAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Parkville, in the. county of Champaign and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Windmills; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to windmills, but

more particularly to those employed for opcrating the piston or plunger rods of pumps.

The primary object of my invention is to provide simple and efficient mechanism for positively raising or lowering the piston or plunger rod of a pump so as to permit said rod to lower independently of said mechanism, whereby the rod may be raised or lowered at the same speed or raised at one and permitted to lower at a different speed in order to secure a powerful and direct lift and to permit the plunger-rod in some instances to recede or lower very quickly.

Other objects are to provide simple and efficient bearings for the rotating parts, so as to avoid as much friction and wear as possible; to provide means for readily throwing the machine into and out of gear-that is, with the vane substantially parallel to the face of the wind-wheel, so as to present the edges of the blades or wings thereof to the wind-to provide an automatically-actuated brake adapted to assist in preventing the rotation of the wind-wheel when the machine is out of gear, and to provide a strong and light wind-wheel for rotating the drivingshaft.

A further object is to provide a windmill which will be light, simple, and durable in construction and efficient and powerful in operation.

The invention will be hereinafter more particularly described, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a general perspective view of the upper portion of the machine, illustrating the parts in position for use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the upper portion of the machine, looking from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View through the drivingshaft bearing, taken on the line III III of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents detail perspective views of a portion of the plunger-rod, one of the guides for said rod, and a couple of the parts forming a portion of the joint between the sections thereof. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the driving pinion and the automatic brake, partly broken away, arranged upon its hub. Fig. 6 is a detail front elevation of the main gear, showing in dotted lines the ratchet mechanism for operating the plunger-operating arm. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the bracket or inner end of the vane-bar, which serves as a connection for the mechanism for moving the vane on its pivot and as a means for cushioning or relieving the shock thereof when thrown into or out of gear. Fig. 8 is a detail side elevation, partly in section, of a preferred form of bearing for the driving-shaft, illustrating one means for securing the driving-pinion in position. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the washer fitting between the securing-nuts of the driving and main gear shafts. Fig. 10 is. a detail perspective view of one of the wind-wheel wings or blades. Fig. 11 is a fragmentary section of a modified form of bearing; and Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view of the main gear, its shaft and the bearing therefor, and the ratchet mechanism for operating the plunger-rod.

In the drawings, A may designate a framework of any approved form, preferably comprising angular metallic upright-s or bars suitably braced together and having their upper ends secured to a cap-piece B, a platform B and a ladder of the usual or any preferred form being secured thereon, so as to permit access to the upper portion of the machine. At a suitable distance below the cap-piece is located a bracket 0, through which and the cap-piece B a hollow standard D passes. This standard is rigidly secured to the bracket and the cap-piece and serves as a vertical guide and support for the hollow post or stem portion 6 of the main frame or support E, said post or stem portion e being preferably provided with a lower flange fitting a recess in the upper portion of the cap-piece and resting upon balls c or other antifriction devices, arranged in the recess of the cap-piece, Fig. 3, so as to permit said frame or support to readily rotate around the standard D. One or more set-screws or bolts 8 may be passed through apertures in the cap-piece above the flange of the post c of the support, so as to assist in retaining the latter in the recess in said cap-piece. The upper portion of the frame or support is preferably substantially rectangular in side elevation and may comprise the curved member (2 and the member 2 connected at their upper portions by an arch e and at their lower portions to the post 6 by short arms extending outwardly therefrom, the whole being preferably formed in one piece.

For the purpose of operating the piston or plunger rod either positively at the same speed or to permit a quick return of the rod, so as to vary its speed, I preferably arrange the driving-shaft F in a bearing F, which is secured to or formed integrally with the support or frame, and secure the wind-wheel G at one end of said shaft and the pinion G at or near the other end, so as to mesh with the main gear H. This gear is secured to or formed integrally with the shaft h, j ournaled in the bearing H, and has its inner face or surface recessed and provided with a ratchetwheel h, Figs. 6 and 12, which is secured to or formed on said gear. A disk 71 having a peripheral flange and a central boss or hub portion, is arranged to rotate in recesses in the gear H, one or more spring-pressed pawls it being pivoted to the disk on its inner surface, so as to be engaged by the teeth of the ratchet-wheel when the gear is rotated in one direction or to slip past said pawls when rotated in the other direction, so that the gear and disk may rotate in unison or independently of each other, said disk being rotatably held in the recesses by a screw or bolt 72, engaging a threaded aperture in the shaft 72. or in any other preferred manner. The disk 72 has a projection or bolt 7t -secured thereto and preferably provided with a roller which engages a slot in the end of an arm I. This arm is pivoted at or near its outer end to the support E or to a bracket 71, projecting outwardly therefrom, and is suitably connected intermediate its ends to the plunger-rod J, so as to preferably form a lever of the third order. The disk h is preferably provided with two or more screw-threaded apertures h, varying in distance from the center, so that the projection or bolt it may be removed from one and placed in another to increase or diminish the distance of travel of the inner or free end of the arm, and consequently the length of stroke of the plunger-rod when the gear and disk are rotated. By this means a positive and powerful reciprocatory motion may be imparted to the plunger-rod, or the rod may be positively raised or permitted to lower independently of the raising mechanism when the plunger or piston is sufiiciently loose to allow the plunger-rod to lower by its own weight, in which case a quick return movement is secured and the pawls permitted to engage different teeth of the ratchet-wheel at each stroke.

The plunger-rodJ preferably comprises two sections or members j andj,the latter of which may be rectangular and arranged to pass through apertures in guidesj which are held in position by stay rods or wires extending above and below the same and secured to the framework. These members may be arranged in different planes and have their adjacent ends secured together by a bracket or coupling-piece j said coupling-piece being angular in form and provided with an aperture in one side thereof,in Whicha thimblej is adapted to fit. This thimble is provided with a rectangular opening therethrough, into which the lower end of the memberj is secured, a washer 7' being arranged above the couplingpiece and the whole secured together by a nut or otherwise arranged on the end of said member.

In order that the driving and the gear shafts may rotate as readily as possible, I prefer to provide the bearings F and H with antifriction devices. The construction of these bearings are substantially the same, each preferably comprising a sleeve, through which the shafts pass, having enlarged recessed ends and conical collars 7c and 7c fitting said recesses and forming with their curved surfaces grooves or channels for the balls W, the bearing-surfaces of said collars and sleeves being provided with hearingplates or thimbles of steel or other suitable metal, so as to provide a durable wearingsurface and to permit the wearing-surfaces to be readily repaired, though in some instances the bearing-plates maybe dispensed with, if desired. These collars may each or both be adj ustably secured to their shafts, and in both bearings the collars 7t" are preferably formed integral with the gear and with the pinion. In the bearing F the pinion and its conical collar is shown adjustable, and in each bearing the parts are held in the adjusted position by the lock-nuts k which engage screw-threads on the ends of the shafts, and the interposed washer 7%, which has a tooth engaging a groove in the shaft to permit longitudinal movement thereof, a key or split pin being passed through an aperture in each shaft to prevent the nuts from unscrewing and to assist in retaining the parts of the bearing in an adjusted position.

L is a vane, suitably secured to the outer end of a bar Z, which may have its forward end rigidly secured to a bracket L and be provided with a brace or rod Z, rigidly secured thereto and extending upwardly therefrom, the upper end of said brace being secured to or formed with a plate or end piece adapted to fit over a post or lug on the support E to serve as the upper pivot for the vane-bar. The bracket L is also adapted to fit over a post or lug on the support E and serves as a lower pivoting-point for the vane-bar, said bracket being provided with arms extending outwardly on opposite sides of the bracket and preferably provided with springs Z or other cushioning means, adapted to engage the post e of the support in order to take up the shock in whatever direction the vane maybe moved. A spring Z is secured to the lug or other portion of the support and has its other end preferably connected to a bracket or extension Z of the vane-bar, so as to tend to keep the vane normally substantially parallel with the drivingshaft F. This spring may have its upper end secured to a rotating stem Z provided with a boss or collarsarranged on opposite sides of the bracket Z and having a serrated edge adapted to be engaged by a pin Z passing through the bracket in order to vary the tension of said spring, though other means may be provided for this purpose, if'desired.

As a means for throwing the machine out of gear and for automatically assisting in preventing rotary motion of the driving-shaft I preferably pivot a lever M to the bearing H, the lower end of which may be connected to one of the arms of the bracket L by a link m and its other end bent or extended toward the center of the support Eand connected to a rod m by a chain m or otherwise. This rod passes through suitable guides in the support and through the standard D and by means of a rod or otherwise is adapted to be pulled downward by an attendant, so as to tilt the lever M on its pivot and through the link m throw the vane L to a plane substantially parallel with the face of the wind-wheel G or out of gear, the spring Z serving to return the vane to its normal position when the rod m is released. when the vane is operated to throw the machine out of gear, an arm 071?, formed on the bracket Z or secured to the vane-bar, engages one of the members of a brake 72, arranged on the driving-shaft or, as shown, on the hub of the pinion G in frictional engagement therewith, so as to normally rotate therewith. This brake is preferably in the form of a band which passes around the hub of the pinion and has its free ends secured by a bolt n to cause the surface of the band to frictionally engage the surface of the hub of said pinion, so that when the arm m is brought into the path of rotation of the brake a it engages the ends thereof and holds said brake stationary, so as to create considerable friction between the surfaces of the brake and the pinion, thereby retarding or preventing rotary motion of the wind- Wheel. I thus provide simple and efficient means for throwing the machine into and out of gear and provide an automatically-actuated brake for preventing rotary motion of the driving-shaft.

The Wind-wheel G preferably comprises a hub 0, having enlarged apertured ends and an enlarged apertured central portion, and

inner and outer concentric rings 0 and 0 connected, respectively, to said enlarged outer ends and enlarged central portion of the hub by suitable stay-rods, said hub being adapted to be secured to the driving-shaft by bolts or in any other suitable manner. A series of blades 0 are arranged at the proper angle around the rings and have their inner ends preferably secured to the inner ring by bolts passing through flanges thereon. The body portion of these blades are provided with apertures through which the outer ring passes, the blades being also preferably secured to said ring by the brackets 0 secured to the surface of the blades and to the outer ring.

The construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 1, it will be seen that as the driving shaft F is rotated the pinion G will rotate the gear H, its shaft h, and the ratchet-wheel it. If the direction of rotation of the wind-wheel G is such as will cause the gear and the teeth of the ratchet-wheel to slip by the pawls, the arm I will notbe operated; but if the direction of rotation is such as will cause the teeth of the ratchet-wheel to engage said pawls the disk 71. will be rotated in unison with the gear H, and the arm I, through the projection 77, and its roller, which engages the slotte-dend of said arm, will be raised and lowered on its pivot. This movement of the arm I will im part a reciprocatory movement to the plunger or piston rod J, and in case the piston is sufficiently loose the piston and rod will lower or recede by its own weight as soon as the roller on the projection 72/5 passes beyond the highest point of the stroke or as the plungerrod begins to lower, thus gaining practically one-half stroke and securing a quick return of the piston for the next upward stroke. The piston and rod will be positively lowered, however, if the weight of the parts are not sufficient 'to overcome the friction of the piston in the pump-cylinder to cause the disk Q and pawls to slip over the teeth of the ratchetwheel at a faster speed than the gear H is rotated. By pulling on the rod m the lever M is tilted on its pivot, and through the link m the vane L will be thrown in a plane substantially parallel with the face of the wind-wheel, so as to place the machine out of gear and to cause the support E and the operating mechanism to rotate around the standard D. As the vane is thrown to this position the arm m which is carried by the vane-bar, will engage a portion of the friction-brake nand will hold the same stationary, so as to assist in preventing rotary motion of the wind-wheel and the driving-shaft.

I thus provide a Windmill having simple and efficient mechanism for positively raising or lowering the piston or plunger rod at the same speed or raising said rod at one and permitting it to lower at a different speed,

which is light, simple, and powerful in operation, and which is automatic in a great measure in its action.

In Fig. 11 the recessed ends of the bearings are shown tapered and somewhat larger than in the preferred form and have tapered antifriction-rollers p interposed between the peripheral bearing-surface of each recess and the conical collar 19, which latter is suitably secured to the shaft rotating in the bearing. This form of bearing will permit the wear to be readily taken up and may be employed in the place of either or both of the gear and the driving-shaft bearings, if desired.

Instead of the pivoted arm I a cross-head may be slidingly held on the support E, having a slotted or other portion adapted to be engaged by a projection or a roller thereon carried by the gear H or by the disk 72- said cross-head being connected to the plungerrod, preferably directly thereto, so that a reciprocatory instead of an oscillatory connection between the gear and said rod may be employed.

It is obvious that a spring may be used to assist in the quick return or downstroke of the piston, that in some instances the ratchet mechanism connection between the gear and plunger-rod may be dispensed with, and that some of the parts may be dispensed with or others substituted therefor without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a windmill, the combination of the wind-wheel, a horizontal shaft driven by the latter and having a ratchet-wheel, a crankdisk loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying a pawl in engagement with said ratchetwheel, a horizontally-extending slotted arm engaged with the crank-pin of said disk and pivoted at one end to the frame of the ma chine, and a plunger-rod connected with said arm and depending therefrom.

2. In a windmill the combination with the wind-wheel and the reciprocatory plungerrod, of a gear-wheel driven by the said windwheel and recessed in one side and having a ratchet-section at its center on that side, a disk journaled concentrically with the said gear and having a marginal flange entering the recess in the latter, one or more pawls carried by said disk in engagement with said ratchet-section, and suitable connections between said disk and the plunger-rod for converting rotary movement of the former into reciprocations of the latter.

3. In a windmill the combination with the wind-wheel and the driving-shaft operated thereby, of a friction-brake associated with said shaft so as to normally rotate therewith, and a laterally-swinging vane having a projection adapted to enter the path of said brake when the vane is shifted to throw the windmill out of action, substantially as de scribed.

4C. In a windmill, the combination with a driving-shaft, a support therefor and a windwheel for rotating said shaft, of a bar pivoted to said support and having a Vane secured thereto, a bracket carried by the bar, means for moving the bar on its pivot, together with a frictional brake normally rotating with the driving-shaft adapted to engage the bracket when the machine is thrown out of gear so as to assist in preventing rotary motion of the wind-wheel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM SPENCER OBRYAN.

WVitnesses:

ARTHUR ALLEN, MARION RANDOLPH. 

